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Business

Joint effort to market tourism
By Ishani Ranasinghe
A major promotion got underway in Colombo last week to twin the tourism potential of Sri Lanka and the southern Indian state of Kerala and sell a unique product to the west.

Along with the two regions, Maldives has also been brought into the picture in a joint effort to market tourism in the region.

This was the setting for the launch of the Kerala Road Show and Food Festival at the Taj Samudra hotel in Colombo attended Professor K.V Thomas, State Tourism Minister, T. Balakrishnan, Secretary, Tourism Ministry in Kerala and a 20-member travel delegation from there.

What was made clear at the launch was that one of the reasons for this initiative is also to strengthen the ties between Kerala and Sri Lanka.

With Sri Lankans being the fourth largest visitors to India, Kerala could also be a must-stop for visitors from here, he said.

Kerala officials said pooling the resources and jointly promoting this region would be both beneficial to Sri Lanka and Kerala.

Another major promotion of Kerala takes place at the Kerala Travel Mart scheduled to be held at the International Convention Centre in Cochin from October 3 to 5.

Kerala is known as the 'melting pot' of India - a land with which holds within it a spread of spell binding attractions like backwaters, beaches, hill stations, waterfalls, wild life and year-round festivals.

Officials said in order to promote Kerala tourism, facilities are being upgraded with heritage sites being restored and investment opportunities provided for.

Environmental products on show
A top US group of providers of environmental products and services is visiting Sri Lanka between September 16 to 19, according to an official statement.

It said this is part of the State Environmental Initiative (SEI) between Sri Lanka and the State of Arizona (AZ), USAID/United States Asia Environmental Partnership (US -AEP) in its promotion of the transfer of US developed technology and experience to Asia.

In relation to this visit, Small and Medium Enterprise Developers (A Project of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Sri Lanka - FCCISL and Friedrich Naumann Stiftung - FNst) in association with USAID/US -AEP will organize "ENVIROTEC 2002" an Exhibition on products and services for environmental and energy management on September 17 and 18 at the Holiday Inn Colombo.

A bed in the sky from Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways has notched another milestone by introducing to its First Class services nothing short of a 'bed in the sky.'

An airline statement said its First Class cabin now offers its passengers the ultimate comfort in flying with luxurious full length sleeper seats with built in features converting it into a lie-flat bed for the passengers' ultimate comfort and relaxation.

According to Ravi Goonetilleke, Managing Director, Delmege Forsyth Tours (GSA for Qatar Airways), with the introduction of the new full length sleeper seats Qatar Airways has positioned itself as an aviation force to be reckoned with amongst the discerning traveller. The airline flies five times a week from Colombo to Doha and from there to 34 destinations around the world.

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